CLICK HERE! For Electronic Services and Online Payment

Printer-friendly version

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Mar. 18 (PIA) -- Camp General Artemio Ricarte, Puerto Princesa City -- To deliver directly his "Command Guidance" and policy thrust, then the concerns of its personnel, the newly-appointed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) visited March 10 the Western Command (WESCOM) accompanied by the Secretary of National Defense.
Lt Gen Eduardo S.L. Oban Jr., who very recently replaced LtGen Ricardo A. David as the highest-ranking official of the AFP, said he was pleased with the direction WESCOM is taking in achieving peace and progress in the communities that fall under its area of responsibility.

The AFP Chief of Staff commended WESCOM Chief LtGen Juancho M. Sabban for the headway his leadership has already made in terms of winning peace in the province of Palawan through the collaborative efforts of the stakeholders involved.
He noted appreciatively that the progress Palawan is tremendously enjoying presently can be attributed to its relatively peaceful environment, which makes it conducive for development.
"We are honored of the AFP Chief of Staff and the National Defense Secretary's visit and we are pleased that they have appreciated the fruits of our labors. We have worked hard to achieve all these but it would not have been possible without the collaboration of the local government units and agencies and the different non-government and private organizations that made all of WESCOM's endeavor a success," Lt Gen Sabban said.
Lt Gen Oban's visit to WESCOM was his first visit to a unified command of the armed forces after President Benigno Aquino III appointed him as the AFP Chief of Staff.

Speaking before the men and women of WESCOM after a command conference, Lt Gen Oban reiterated the pledge he made when he assumed his post as the new Commander of the AFP.
He said he will focus on implementing reforms in the armed forces to address its problems and flaws and improve its system, particularly its procurement system.
In his assumption speech, Lt Gen Oban has vowed to take away from the AFP the conditions that would entice its personnel to commit corrupt practices.
He enjoined the help of every soldier in achieving this end. "We have to work together in pushing for reforms. We have to maintain the spirit of Bayanihan," the AFP Chief of Staff encouraged the WESCOM soldiers.
Though he will be sitting as the AFP Commander only until December this year, National Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin encouraged the men and women of WESCOM to fully support the reforms and policies being pushed by Lt Gen Oban.
"We have to strengthen our system," Secretary Gazmin said amidst the corruption scandals that currently hound the armed forces.
"We welcome the investigations being conducted in the Senate as an opportunity to cleanse our institution, bring the perpetrators before the law and improve the system of the armed forces," he added. (PIA Mimaropa)

 

Article Type: 
Categories: